LAHORE: Punjab Higher Education Department Secretary Sajid Zafar Dall has directed the principal of the Post Graduate College, Toba Tek Singh, to submit a report on a students’ torture case in a week.

Hussain Khalid, a second-year student, and his classmates were in Room No 9 of the college on Sept 27 when Day Officer Aslam Naveed came there and directed them to leave the room and attend their classes.

Hussain and his classmates later approached his father Sohail Khalid, who is an associate professor of English in the same college, in the staff room and complained against the teacher who, they alleged, tortured them.

His father took up the matter with Principal Prof Dr Ehsan Ali and found the day officer in principal’s office. Both the teachers exchanged harsh words over the issue and other faculty members intervened and pacified them. The DO later lodged a complaint against four of his colleagues who allegedly tortured him.

Hussain’s father also lodged a complaint against the DO for torturing his son and other students.

The HED secretary conducted an inquiry after calling both parties to his office on Oct 8 and directed the teachers to settle the dispute within a week. He also directed the college principal to submit a report of the incident.

The principal called both parties at the Deputy Director Colleges office for an inquiry and they first agreed on reconciliation but later turned it down.

Mr Naveed told Dawn that he had asked the students to attend their classes over which they misbehaved with him. He said he had admonished Hussain for not attending his class and his colleagues later approached the principal office and attacked and insulted him. He said he had forgiven his colleagues but wanted surety that manhandling would not happen again.

Dr Muhammad Kashif said they had forgiven the DO in the presence of the HED secretary.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2019